The Road Ahead…
It’s real easy to look at the road behind and make declarations and assumptions, or educated malarky, about the road ahead; but the truth is, the road ahead is always uncertain. I gather life always must seem to be on the brink of some great discovery or amazing revelation that is going to change everything, drastically, and absolutely for the better. At least this has been my experience. Though truthfully, I’m never able to pinpoint those incredible moments until years later when the revelation finally sinks in. So, back to the road ahead, it is quite uncertain at the moment. Major industries are going through major shifts in growth, technology, and influence. There are major players making major moves that will no doubt determine the direction our future is headed. I for one am ridiculously excited about it. In our darkest hour, we sometimes have the greatest opportunities, and I believe we are ready to seize those moments. Here at CloudCraft we are all about making dreams reality, and we believe some major dreams are coming true. Stick around and let’s see about that road ahead.
the voice in the clouds
Big Things Happening…
Congratulations to Spain, by the way, on their first World Cup! That must be incredible for them. Well, we are also expecting some big wins this week. We are extremely excited about growing our Executive Staff. We would like to publicly thank Manny Saldivar, VP Latino Network, for all of his hard work recently building relationships in the Latin Entertainment Industry. We would also like to thank Camilla Sichmann, VP Travel/Leisure Network, first for joining us in Vegas at the International Licensing Expo and second for expanding our reach to Canada and the ongoing development of several channels in that region. Another big thank you goes out to our new Chief Technology Officer, Ed Ramirez, who has been instrumental in streamlining the architecture and efficiency of our application thus far, and the ongoing development of bringing incredible services to both our audience and our clients. One last enormous thank you to our Chief Financial Officer, Michael D. Sloan, who has believed in us from the beginning and proving it with his checkbook, time and time again. We are intent on building a strong Corporate Family here at CloudCraft Television, and we are well on our way. This week we look forward to coming a few steps closer to deployment of several new channels, as well as an introduction to a couple new staff writers soon to come aboard our blog. We thank everyone who visits and supports CloudCraft Television, please feel free to drop us any comments boxoffice@cloudcraft.tv, if you see ways we can improve your experience, and as always Enjoy the Show!!!
the voice in the clouds
The Future of TV is CloudCraft Television
After watching YouTube, iTunes, and Netflix on the iPad, I am absolutely convinced that we are the future of television. While everyone else was building neat little apps that play video on mobile phones, we were developing an Internet Application that delivers better than DVD quality video and audio up to 7.1 DTS Surround Sound, on your TV and Stereo by plugging two cords into your laptop or desktop computer. No one can do this but us. For three years we have been talking about the shift from hard media to digital media, and from linear programming to online programming. Today there is a major movement in the industry to make this happen, especially with most of the major retailers including Wal-Mart and Sears now in the game. I wished they would all just pick up the phone and give us a call. Enjoy the Show Everybody!
the voice in the clouds
Timing is Everything, and the Time is Now
There is something funny about opportunity. Some say it comes knocking, but I say you create it. Life is based on rules. If you break the rules, there are consequences. If you play by the rules, suddenly you don’t have consequences anymore. Then, if you learn to play the game by the rules but with technique and skill, suddenly you have opportunities. Is there luck involved? No. We don’t believe in luck here at CloudCraft. We believe in faith. We believe in hope. And we believe in love. So the time is now. There are opportunities available. I believe we are all awake now, and we have this wonderful gift, the Internet, and it connects us somehow in this neat and incredible way. I believe we can harness this connection, and we can build a future where our dreams become reality. Stick around and get involved. There is a crisis in Gulf. There are crisis’ everywhere. We must begin to build our future or there will be no future, sold to the highest bidder. Timing is everything and what a time it is. The time is now!
the voice in the clouds
Amazingly Difficult!
It is amazing how difficult it is to rally support these days. We have had the ability to stream UNCOMPRESSED, BETTER THAN DVD QUALITY VIDEO AND AUDIO UP TO 7.1 DTS SURROUND SOUND, AT 7 mbps, WITH NO DOWNLOADING FROM THE HOST (piracy protection), for two years now. Some people we have spoken with have no idea what that means, others do not believe us, and others think it is the most incredible thing on the planet; however, everyone seems very reluctant to jump on board. We sat down with three Apple Executives in February to give them a presentation of our technology, hoping to partner with them or negotiate a sale. Needless to say they did not consider us credible, which is hilarious because we are probably one of the only corporations on the planet hosting our website with an XServe. Fabulous machine by the way. I don’t like Snow Leopard Server very much, but we can’t have everything we want can we. We also went through great lengths to develop a business model that mirrored Blockbuster and every other rental store, which is found in the First Sale Doctrine that allows any business to purchase a product and rent it. Since our files must be digital, it is considered altering the product and therefore illegal. After much deliberation we decided to do the right thing and take our Movie Channel down until we can negotiate with the studios. This may be extremely difficult, due to everyone in this industry requiring a guarantee and an advance. Redbox gave Paramount a half billion for a guarantee, but wait, that came much later after they started renting DVD’s for $1 and incredibly devaluing the product, and causing the demise of Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video and soon Blockbuster. We have sunk every ounce of cash, sweat, blood, and tears we have in this project, done our very best to play by everyone’s rules, developed a technology unmatched to date in quality and efficiency (7 mbps compared to 200 mbps), and we are having an amazingly difficult time making friends. I’m so confused. Companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions, trying to accomplish what we have been able to do for 2 years. We are currently seeking a Private Investor or an Alliance/Partnership so we can continue development and add to our content library. Otherwise, we will continue to persevere and bring the Best Streaming Technology straight to you. Thanks for watching everybody!
the voice in the clouds
Seeing is Believing…
Growing up, most of us I believe were taught that you could be anything you wanted to be. Of course there were always conditions attached, like twelve years of college after high school to become a doctor, or have 20/20 vision in order to be a jet pilot. I’ve worn glasses since I was four, I can’t see four inches past my nose without them, and I always wanted to be a pilot. I suppose that’s how I knew they were lying. And all of us eventually come to realize that you probably are not going to be what you want to be. Statistics have shown for years that most people do not even use their degree for the career they are in, and most people change careers several times over. No, the truth is you can only be what you are capable of becoming by giving up everything you have and persevering through the finish line. You can be whatever you want to because more than likely you don’t want to do anything you aren’t capable of, and if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it. I suppose the question becomes, How bad do you want it? What are you willing to go through to become the person you want to be, doing what you want to be doing? First, one must believe. We had a dream of bringing television to the Internet and Internet to the television several years ago. Today, we sit in front of a 100 inch projector, connected HDMI to a Macbook Pro watching CloudCraft Television in Cinema Definition and 5.1 DTS Surround Sound. What did it take? First we had to believe we could. Then, we began solving every problem that stood in our way. Today, we can broadcast to half of the United States, uncompressed Cinema Definition (.ccd) files between 1 GB and 8 GB in size, at a rate of 7 mbps. We have opened a dialogue with several studios and distributors, including Distrimax, Inc. which is currently providing Latin films on the Latin Channel soon to be subscription based, and we plan to expand our broadcasting range to cover the entire US by the end of the year. So, we have accomplished what we set out to accomplish by thousands of hours of research and development, and the support of those around us. We want you to know that Seeing is Believing, so we invite you to visit us from time to time, watching us grow and help others accomplish their dreams, and as always Enjoy the Show!
the voice in the clouds
2010 World Cup in “3D”
Just a few days before the 2010 World Cup, I find myself in my living room enjoying some delicious empanadas. With the remote control of my TV in hand, wrapped with a scarf in the colors of my favorite team, eagerly awaiting the opening ceremony of this great festival of Football that takes place every four years. Starting on Friday, June 11th with thirty-two national teams competing to reach the top and have the honor of lifting the FIFA World Cup Trophy and be proclaimed the best in the world. About to program my digital video recorder so I do not miss any of the games, I stop and think if it’s the perfect excuse to get rid of the huge projector television box which takes up a lot of space in the living room, for a new and better one. It went through my head what size, style, color, resolution, etc. and after more than a half an hour analyzing which will be the best option for me, I see the title of an article that said “2010 World Cup in 3D.” I looked at it for 15 seconds or more trying to understand what was in front of me, thinking what, when, where and how? For a second I thought that the 2010 World Cup would be in a theater near me. I read the article a bit more and realized that was not the case. That in fact, the next edition of the world’s largest sport tournament will be the first of its kind transmitted in 3D on television. I exhale and say WOW.. How cool is that? Awesome! But after investigating a bit more and finding out the prices of those TVs, I began to think. Do they really expect me to spend that much money on a TV and sit in my living room with those silly glasses for the 90 minutes this experiment will last? I will be honest. If it was on IMAX, as it will be in Seoul, then I would think about it and maybe I will go see it. Okay. There is no maybe. I will definitely go see it. But if I have to pay that much for a TV (first generation) and on top of that a ¨3D¨ channel monthly fee subscription for only 25 games, I don’t think so. Now my question is this, do I really need to see a football, sword or a car coming towards me to enjoy the programming? I don’t think I would enjoy spilling on my shirt what ever it is that I’m drinking at that moment. All of a sudden, that huge box in the corner doesn’t look that bad afterall.
Enjoy the 2010 World Cup… Go Brasil !!!
J.T. Heggz. (Translated by Monica P. Uribe)
Your comments and opinion are welcome.
Un Documental Inesperado
Mientras escribía un articulo y con el ultimo bocado de mi favorito emparedado que por supuesto no puede ser de otra carne que no sea de pastrami con cebollita y champiñones a la plancha (bueno al menos que sea de jamón Serrano) y con lo famoso que es este emparedado en la ciudad de Nueva York. Se me vino a la mente aquel día que en esta fecha dos hermanos Franceses, grababan video para su nuevo documental sobre la vida de los bomberos en esa ciudad y que en un parpadear de ojo todo cambio. Al ser los únicos que capturaron las primeras imágenes que fueron televisadas por el mundo entero. Te hace pensar si estaban en el lugar correcto en el momento equivocado o el lugar equivocado en el momento adecuado, como usted lo perciba. Es difícil pensar que decisión tomarías en un momento como ese. ¿Que haces, te quedas inmóvil por lo sucedido, regresas a la estación o corres con cámara en la mano grabando todo lo que se te cruce por el camino? Así como hicieron ellos. No puedo imaginar en todas las cosas que se te pasan por la mente. ¿Si tienes suficientes baterías, cinta, a quien y que grabar? Con todo lo que esta pasando en ese momento, ¿Que hacer, te detienes ayudar a las personas que ves o continuas por las calles grabando sin saber que es lo que te espera? Creo que tampoco te das cuenta de la magnitud de cómo en menos de un día, se grabo un documental que cambiarían sus vidas y de la audiencia que luego vieron las imágenes que muchos de ellos ese día vivieron. La verdad no se que hubiera hecho yo. ¿Y tu, como cineasta que hubieras hecho? Tus comentarios y opiniones son bienvenidos.
J.T.Heggz
An Unexpected Documentary
While writing an article, I took the last bite of my favorite sandwich. Of course, non other than pastrami with onions and grilled mushrooms (well, unless it is jamón Serrano). Knowing how famous this sandwich is in the city of New York, it occurred to me that on this day, two French brothers were recording footage for a new documentary based on the lives of New York City firefighters. Little did the brothers know, in the blink of an eye, their lives would change. Having been the only ones to capture the first image that was televised throughout the world, it makes you wonder if they were in the wrong place at the right time or in the right place at the wrong time. Whichever way you perceive it. It is difficult to think the decisions you would make at a time like this. What do you do? Do you stand still as a result of what happened? Go back to the fire station? Or as the brothers decided, do you run with camera in hand recording everything that crossed your path that morning? I can’t imagine the things that goes through ones mind. Do you have enough batteries, tapes, who and what to record? With all that is happening at that time, where do you point your camera? Do you stop and help people or do you continue filming on the streets without knowing what’s coming. I don’t suppose you realize the magnitude of capturing, in less than a day, a documentary that would change your life and those who viewed the images they lived through. The truth is I have no idea what I would do. And you, as a filmmaker what would you have done? Your comments and opinions are welcomed.
J.T.Heggz (Translated by Monica P. Uribe)
¿Estudiar O No Estudiar Cine y En Donde?
De un tiempo acá me ha llamado mucho la atención un tema que escuchado por ahí. ¿Si estudiar o no estudiar cine y en donde? Creo que esa pregunta nos la hacemos todos aquellos, que de repente nos sentimos atraído a la magia del cine. No hace mucho un amigo a quien lo llamaremos Martín me dijo que cada día siente mas el deseo de hacer cine, que cada vez que ve una película descubre lo que mas le llama la atención y lo que le gustaría llegar hacer en el mundo del cine. Creo que eso es fundamental, saber que es lo que te llama la atención del cine para llegar a especializarte en eso, pero al mismo tiempo saber un poco de todo para entender como todo se une llegando hacer una maquina bien calibrada. Hay un dicho por ahí que dice. “El pintor solo necesita una brocha, el músico solo un instrumento y el cineasta un ejercito.” Hay personas que necesitan un libro en la materia y en eso créanme que hay muchos, pregúntenmelo a mi que mi librería esta llena de libros sobre el cine. Hay otros que necesitan un profesor, también hay muchos! Otros que el solo hecho de ver películas es suficiente, de estas personas aun no conozco ninguna y hay aquellos que dicen que puedes aprender hacer cine en 10 o 15 minutos tampoco conozco ninguno, pero no miento cuando digo que seria interesante verlos como trabajan. Bueno creo que mas o menos tienen una idea sobre las diferentes formas de aprender acerca de este arte tan maravilloso. Ahora viene la pregunta del millón. ¿En donde estudiar? Como sabemos hay muchas escuelas y talleres de cine, eso lo sabe especialmente las personas que están pensando en estudiar el arte y buscan ese lugar especial. En todas partes del mundo a quien le preguntes, te dirá que la escuela o taller al que asistieron es mejor que cualquier otro. Por eso mismo tienes que hacer tu tarea muy bien y preguntarte ¿Que es lo que quieres estudiar, que te llama la atención? También hay que pensar en las otras materias que tendrás que tomar antes, como psicología, economía, gobierno, contabilidad, matemáticas, filosofía, ciencias, historia, sociología, astronomía, ciencia política y muchas mas. Si quieres un diploma universitario entonces si creo que vale la pena hacer el sacrificio. Ahora ¿puede tu bolsillo hacer el mismo sacrificio? por que las escuelas de cine no son baratas. Conozco alguien que para poder usar un crane (jib) y hacer una toma desde el aire, tenia que hacer una maestría y pagar un año mas de escuela. Hay escuelas de cine que tienen un gran prestigio pero al ver algunos de los proyectos, créanme que te preguntas en donde quedaron los 50 mil o 70 mil dólares que pagaron por semestre. La capacidad de cada quien no se mide por la escuela en la que estudiaste. No estoy diciendo que las escuelas son mal lugar para estudiar cine, solo que tienes que pensar que es lo que mas te conviene. Ahora vamos hablar sobre los talleres de los cuales también hay muchos. si solamente deseas aprender sobre el arte del cine, equipo, etc. si no tienes mucho tiempo y deseas trabajar en un rodaje estudiantil desde el primer día, quizás un taller seria mas apropiado. Para mi aquellos talleres de cine que son manos a la obra desde el primer día, son mis favoritos. Estar esperando meses para tocar el equipo y llegar a realizar algo, no es lo mió. Pero como todo, tienes que asesorarte muy bien para saber cual es el mejor taller para ti. Por que créanme que también hay talleres que te hacen pensar “¡Que lindo lugar! ¿pero que vine hacer aquí?” Lo ultimo que puedo decir, es que tomes en cuenta lo que te dicta tu corazón respecto el amor al arte, pregúntate a ti mismo si tienes la capacidad necesaria y piensa muy bien en el sacrifico tanto económico como el tiempo que requiere, ya sea en una escuela o un taller de cine. Has lo que amas y deseas hacer, para así alcanzar ese sueño. Tus comentarios y opiniones son bienvenidos.
J.T.Heggz